In just a year, Marvel Comics co-creator Stan Lee has gone from being a shining icon of geek culture, to the central figure in a slowly-unfolding saga of embarassment and ruin. Since Lee lost his wife Joan in 2017, he’s made all the wrong kind of headlines. With reports of family feuding, his inner circle being filled with con artists and criminals, and his health clearly in decline, there’s legitimate reason to be worried about Stan Lee, right now.
Videos by ComicBook.com
As reports of Lee’s troubles have continued to come out, Marvel fans and other celebrity figures have joined a growing chorus of those calling for Lee to get some kind of intervention or help, before it’s too late. Now, that rally cry has evolved into a full-on social media trend, complete with its own hashtag. Scroll below to see the outpouring of love and concern in this #StandByStan movement:
See It For Yourself
You can ignore headlines, you can claim conjecture, you can assume this is just overblown, but when there’s VIDEO FRIKKIN’ EVIDENCE of Stan Lee having to be reminded how to write his name by his ‘minder’, you can’t disregard that. #StandByStan https://t.co/iuC6P0BoHC
โ WatcherMark (@WatcherMark) April 11, 2018
As this fan points out, there’s hearing the accounts of Stan Lee’s troubles – and then there’s actually seeing it for yourself. Take a look at a clearly tired Stan Lee, recovering from illness, trying to power through a signing booth at a recent convention.ย
Sad and Angry
#StandByStan
โ Rob Walker (@llamedos77) April 11, 2018
My heart breaks for Stan Lee. He’s 95. Would anyone else bring their elderly frail grandparent out all day to sign autographs and to have photo opportunities with random stranger’s? I think not. Let him live out the rest of his days in peace.
The treatment of @TheRealStanLee at his most recent con is truly heartbreaking to see, for the love of God treat him with dignity and respect and not a money machine, let him rest and recover, he’s brought so much joy to millions the world over ??#standbystan #excelsior
โ Dannywizkid (@wheeleyd05) April 11, 2018
Most fans are having a simple reaction to all of this: they’re sad about it, and/or angry about it. The end.ย
Doom Demands Justice
Enough of this BS – where’s Stan and what have you done with him? #StandByStan pic.twitter.com/6ERZzJLlmL
โ …Just a Doombot (@jjschach) April 10, 2018
This Doombotย account pretty much delivers a visual expression of what so many fans are feeling right now. It’s also the most relevant thing the Fantastic Four has done in awhile.ย
So Say We All
As a lifelong fan and reader of @Marvel the news of what is happening to @TheRealStanLee saddens and disturbs me. I #StandByStan and call on the rest of decent fans and people everywhere to do the same.
โ Peter J Tavalieri (@Ptav96) April 10, 2018
This fan isn’t just expressing his frustration – he’s calling on all Marvel fans to rally and show their support for the man who helped create their beloved universe.ย
Creative Rights
One of the greatest creative minds of our generation, who had to fight for every dollar he deserved for his creations, is now being milked for all he is worth. #StandByStan
โ James Burns (@GoodFightCinema) April 10, 2018
This fan points out the sick irony of this Stan Lee situation. After Lee struggled for years to get what fraction of the profits he did for his Marvel creations, that money is being drained fight out of him – including his own blood!
Suit Saviors
I don’ think this plan is a good idea. What Stan needs is some executive at Disney, or Marvel, to sit down with him and help him hire a good management team and a good lawyer to sort all of this out.
โ Hesiod Theogeny (@Hesiod2k11) April 11, 2018
This fan seems to think that Disney / Marvel executives are the ones who can save Lee from himself. It’s rare that you hear theย notion of corporate executives as aย cure-all for life’s ills. Butย here we are.ย
Fan Responsibility
Fans need to understand that it’s time to let Stan go. As long as we line up to pay big buck for autographs, people will try to convince Stan to do signings. #StandByStan
โ Monkeys Fighting Robots (@monkeys_robots) April 11, 2018
As hard as it is to admit, this fan is completely right. Half of the reason Lee is a target is because of the value he has on the convention circuit. Fans adore seeing Lee in person, and while line up for hours at a time to do so. While the joy of meeting an idol is great, there is a simple choice in front of us, here: part ways with Lee before his death, or after it.ย
Celebrity Endorsements
This is heartbreaking. We love you, @TheRealStanLee. You are always welcome to come live with me – or please let us fans buy you a new place to live. We miss you, sir. https://t.co/egR7Ijv2pi
โ KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) April 10, 2018
I don’ think this plan is a good idea. What Stan needs is some executive at Disney, or Marvel, to sit down with him and help him hire a good management team and a good lawyer to sort all of this out.
โ Hesiod Theogeny (@Hesiod2k11) April 11, 2018
These are just a couple of the comic book / comic book movie industry figures who have publicly spoken out on Lee’s behalf. We expect many other celebsย feel the same.ย ย
Outsider Appreciation
Iโm not a marvel fan as people know, however reading stories about #StanLee are truly heartbreaking, I work in care and this man needs to live his last few moments in peace #StandByStan no more cons no more autographs pic.twitter.com/HbefYVxGVa
โ Shev McG ??โโ๏ธ??โโ๏ธ? (@Shev_McG) April 11, 2018
Even non-Marvel fans are speaking up. Apparently, you don’t have to be a fan of, or influenced by, Lee’s work to see that an aging celebrity being mistreated in such a way is just plain wrong.ย
‘Nuff Said
#StandByStan pic.twitter.com/3Qkr3aCDLl
โ Moose (@Micro_Moose) April 12, 2018
******
While this whole #StandByStanย plays out, Stan Lee himself has just come out to deny claims of his abuse, threatening to sue publications pushing such stories. It’s unclear at this point exactly where the line of truth should be drawn in all this – but it’s very clear that something needs to be done to improve Lee’s health and well-being right now.ย
How do you feel about all of this Stan Lee controversy? Do you believe the reports, or do you think they’ve been blown out of proportion? Let us know in the comments!
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is now playing in theaters. Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters on April 27, 2018. It is followed by Ant-Man and The Wasp on July 6, 2018, Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019, Avengers 4 on May 3, 2019, the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 5, 2019, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2020.